{"id":939703,"date":"2026-10-24T21:58:21","date_gmt":"2026-10-24T21:58:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/939703\/"},"modified":"2026-10-24T21:58:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-24T21:58:21","slug":"south-africa-vs-australia-third-test-the-options-facing-the-australian-selectors-in-cape-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/939703\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa vs Australia third Test: The options facing the Australian selectors in Cape Town"},"content":{"rendered":"

October 25, 2026 \u2014 5:00amSave<\/p>\n

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The options are limited. But after Australia copped a drubbing in Gqeberha<\/a>, the calls are growing for changes to the nation\u2019s Test cricket team.<\/p>\n

With the three-match series against South Africa locked at 1-1, Pat Cummins\u2019 men have just a few days to prepare for Tuesday\u2019s Test in Cape Town as they look to rebound from their loss by an innings and 31 runs in the second Test<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"AfterAfter going into the second Test without a recognised spinner and losing comprehensively, it\u2019s expected the Australian selectors will recall Nathan Lyon in Cape Town.Getty Images<\/p>\n

Sitting on the sidelines but in the Australian squad for that game were Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Cooper Connolly, Sam Harper, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann and all-rounder Cameron Green<\/a>, who has recovered from injury to play as a batter but would be unlikely to bowl if selected.<\/p>\n

Picking a team to win the series-deciding Test is a fraught task, but that\u2019s what we\u2019ve asked our reporters to do, led by chief cricket writer Dan Brettig, Sydney Morning Herald chief sports writer Tom Decent and The Age\u2019s Andrew Wu and Jon Pierik. Here are the teams they\u2019d pick for Cape Town. Did they get it right? Let us know in the comments.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Dropping Marnus Labuschagne seems like something Australia simply must do until one considers exactly the scenario facing the national selectors.<\/p>\n

After their abysmal batting in Gqeberha and, in fairness, periods in Durban too, the tourists must find a way to absorb more of the new ball before the stroke makers come in.<\/p>\n

Ostensibly that task should fall to Matt Renshaw<\/a>, but his success at Kingsmead, particularly batting with the tail, makes a strong case for keeping him at five to win this week in Cape Town.<\/p>\n

Similarly, Labuschagne\u2019s tendency to get through the \u201ctough period\u201d affords him value at the top, much as the selectors chose to use him in the world Test championship final last year.<\/p>\n

Cameron Green should not be asked to bat three in his first game back, so it is worth moving Steve Smith up to a position where he has previously prospered.<\/p>\n

That also allows for Cooper Connolly to come in at six, with the slack left by Beau Webster to be taken up by Nathan Lyon\u2019s return as a stock bowler.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Josh Inglis is left out of the side, partly because he did not grasp opportunities to make a big score against a weaker England attack during the Ashes, when Ben Stokes had little trouble finding a way through his defence. Inglis\u2019 time may come in India.<\/p>\n

Scott Boland keeps his place at the expense of Josh Hazlewood, who must still be feeling the effects of the stomach ailment that felled him during the second Test.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

There\u2019s suddenly, for those who can remember, a distinct mid-1980s desperation about this team, one in a state of flux when you consider the heavy defeats of Darwin in August, and now Gqeberha.<\/p>\n

Next comes Newlands, the Proteas\u2019 best ground by the numbers (28 wins from 61 Tests), as Greg Chappell recently pointed out in this masthead.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Once this series is over, the selectors must settle on an opening partnership that, hopefully, can remain in place for the next three years or so. Nic Maddinson isn\u2019t the answer, nor, I feel, is Travis Head.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, Renshaw, in the form of his life<\/a>, can replace Maddinson and fill a role he knows very well against a new ball expected to swing. We\u2019ve backed Labuschagne well beyond his use-by date, the No.3 having failed to ton up in more than three years (47 innings). That he has averaged less than 31 in each of the past three calendar years (27.55 this year) tells the tale. We debated giving Labuschagne another go as an opener, but it\u2019s time for change.<\/p>\n

Smith, as Usman Khawaja told Fox Cricket, would be more than happy to head to No.3, despite his susceptibility to the short ball. We\u2019ll recall a now fit Green to bat at No.4, although he cannot yet bowl, while Inglis also returns from injury.<\/p>\n

We debated whether Connolly\u2019s youthful mindset at No.6 would help, but we\u2019ll stick with Beau Webster, who can also offer seam bowling, while allowing an out-of-sorts Alex Carey to slip to No.7.<\/p>\n

Boland<\/a> deserves to remain in the XI, squeezing out Josh Hazlewood, despite Hazlewood\u2019s heroics in Durban.<\/p>\n

Lyon also returns. Axing our greatest off-spin bowler for the second Test was a ridiculous call, for a frontline tweaker should always be played.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

This exercise is a timely reminder of the difficulty facing selectors. They are not exactly spoilt for choice. Given the team is away and in a deciding Test, selection for this game is treated very much as a one-off. The big calls can come at home when there is Shield form to judge.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Major and radical change was considered, like blooding debutant Harper to open with Renshaw or even Labuschagne, moving Head back to five and Carey to seven, but Green\u2019s unavailability to bowl robbed us of flexibility and tempered enthusiasm for an overhaul.<\/p>\n

Labuschagne hangs on \u2013 again. His numbers are alarming, but he\u2019s looked steady for long periods this series only to throw it away. Taking a few deep breaths in key moments would help him settle. A pair of 30s could prove priceless at a venue where there\u2019s been only one first-innings total more than 300 in four Tests since 2020.<\/p>\n

The stakes are too high to continue with the Maddinson experiment. Renshaw is a natural opener whose temperament complements Head\u2019s attacking style. This will allow Green to return at five.<\/p>\n

The final batting spot is a coin toss between all-rounders Webster and Connolly. Webster stays if the pitch suits the seamers.<\/p>\n

\"AlthoughAlthough he was successful at No.5 in the first Test in Durban, calls are growing for Matt Renshaw to return to the top of the Australian batting order.Getty Images<\/p>\n

Michael Neser was considered after seeing how effective Wiaan Mulder\u2019s seamers were with the keeper standing up, but his numbers with the bat at Test level were not worthy of a No.7. Spinner Lyon must play, regardless of the pitch. His variety and change of pace was sorely missed when Temba Bavuma<\/a> and South Africa\u2019s lower order took charge.<\/p>\n

The hot hand of Boland pushes out Hazlewood, who was excellent in the first Test but who we do not want exposed to a third Test in as many weeks due to his recent injury history. Plus, nobody on the panel wanted to be the one telling the captain he was missing out.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Maddinson still in the XI? Stick with me. In an ideal world, I would fly Kurtis Patterson<\/a> over and bat him at No.3, with everyone in the above order sliding down and Maddinson missing out, but that won\u2019t happen given the short turnaround.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

In a series decider, with pressure through the roof, I\u2019ll take Maddinson\u2019s 113 first-class matches over Cooper Connolly\u2019s 13. It\u2019s last-chance saloon for Maddinson, and it might just bring out the best in him.<\/p>\n

Selectors liked Maddinson because of his flexibility, so let\u2019s test that theory. He\u2019s an excellent player of spin and has made plenty of Sheffield Shield runs lower down the order.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"South<\/a><\/p>\n

Everyone would love to bat at No.5, but it\u2019s time for the big guns to face up.<\/p>\n

Head and Renshaw, Australia\u2019s leading run-scorers this series, should open. Smith averages more at No.3 (65.2) than No.4 (58.7), while second drop will be Green\u2019s spot when Smith retires. Why not give him the keys now?<\/p>\n

Labuschagne shouldn\u2019t have toured and his second-innings dismissal<\/a> was the final straw. Webster can\u2019t feel hard done by after six scores of 13 or fewer in his past seven knocks. Line-ball call between Webster and Inglis given the Tasmanian provides another bowling option.<\/p>\n

Boland can feel aggrieved for missing out, but those calling for Hazlewood to be axed must have forgotten his eight-wicket haul in Durban. Hazlewood actually has the best bowling average of all Australian Test bowlers over the past 12- and 24-month periods. Lyon must play.<\/p>\n

Mitch Marsh is also my emergency 12th man, purely for dressing room vibes.<\/p>\n

News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Close\"DanielDaniel Brettig<\/a> is The Age’s chief cricket writer and the author of several books on cricket.Connect via X<\/a>.\"TomTom Decent<\/a> is the chief sports writer for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X<\/a> or email<\/a>.\"JonJon Pierik<\/a> is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.Connect via X<\/a> or email<\/a>.From our partners<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"October 25, 2026 \u2014 5:00amSave You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":939704,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[564],"tags":[64,63,740,85],"class_list":["post-939703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cricket","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-cricket","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/939703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=939703"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/939703\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/939704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=939703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=939703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=939703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}